Osteospermum plant named Sunny Davina

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  osteospermum  plant named Sunny Davina, particularly characterized by its ray-floret color, in which the upper surface of mature ray florets having alternate stripes of a darker and a lighter purple, upright growth habit, elliptic ray florets in one or two complete whorls, and by its nonvariegated leaves.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, andreferred to by the varietal denomination ‘Sunny Davina’.

The new cultivar is the product of a planned breeding program carriedout by the inventor in Odense, Denmark. The objective of the breedingprogram was to create new osteospermum cultivars with distinctly newflower colors.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the inventor in Odense,Denmark, in May 2002. The female or seed parent was the cultivar ‘SunnySerena’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,693, and primarilycharacterized by its compact, upright, mounded-plant habit, its denseand bushy growth habit, its freely flowering habit, and its pale yellowray florets and contrasting grey disc florets. The male or pollen parentwas an unnamed and unpatented proprietary seedling identified by thecode number 30.013.01. The characteristics of the male parent are notpresently available.

The first act of asexual reproduction of the new cultivar wasaccomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the selection inApril 2004 in a controlled environment in Odense, Denmark, by or underthe supervision of the inventor.

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day lengthwithout, however, any variance in genotype.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and have beendetermined to be basic characteristics of the new cultivar, which, incombination, distinguish the new cultivar as being new and distinct:

-   -   1. The new cultivar has an upright growing habit, and possesses        many of the growth characteristics of the female parent, ‘Sunny        Serena’.    -   2. Nonvariegated leaves.    -   3. Elliptic ray florets formed in one or two complete ray floret        whorls.    -   4. The ray-floret color is unique, with the upper surfaces of        the ray florets having alternate stripes of a darker purple        (78A) and a lighter purple (78B), creating a very interesting        effect.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor(s), themost similar cultivar in comparison to the new cultivar is the femaleparent, ‘Sunny Serena’. The primary distinction is in ray floret color,with the color of the upper side of the ray florets of ‘Sunny Serena’being a solid, pale orange (RHS 19D).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet shows a front perspective viewof typical flowering plants (three) of the new cultivar. The photographat the top of the sheet is a view showing in more detail the flowers ofthe new cultivar, particularly the novel striping on the upper surfaceof the ray florets.

The colors in the photographs are as true as is reasonably possible withcolored reproductions of this type. If any differences exist between thephotographic color and the color values described below, the values inthe detailed description are accurate.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The values are based on plantmaterial grown in Bonsall, Calif., with the plants' being approximately16 weeks old.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cv Sunny Davina.    -   -   Parentage.—Female parent: ‘Sunny Serena’.        -   Pollen parent.—A proprietary cultivar identified as            30.013.01.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 4 days at 18-20 degrees            C.        -   Root Description.—Fine, fibrous, and branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance and shape: Oval; very upright.        -   Habit.—Loose, open, rounded canopy is uniform; excellent            vigor and very free-branching.        -   Plant height.—42 cm.        -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—47-50 cm.        -   Lateral branching.—        -   Number of primary lateral branches.—4.        -   Number of secondary lateral branches.—6-7.        -   Length of primary branches.—About 34 cm. to 38 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 0.45 cm. to 6.0 cm.        -   Intemode length.—About 1.3 cm. to 1.8 cm.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—145A.        -   Foliage.—Arrangement: Alternate. Simple or Compound: Simple.            Length: About 5.6 cm. to 6.0 cm. Width: About 3.0 cm. to 3.5            cm., becoming smaller toward tip. Shape: Oblanceolate to            obovate. Apex shape: Broadly acute. Base shape: Attenuate.            Margin: Nearly entire but having irregular points. Texture:            Top is slightly course, and bottom is minutely pubescent.            Color.—Developing foliage: Upper surface, 147A. Lower            surface, 147B. Mature foliage: Upper surface, 147A. Lower            surface, 147B. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 147B.            Petiole: Length, 1.0 cm. to 1.6 cm. Diameter, 0.3 cm. Color:            Both upper and lower sections, 144A. Other foliage            characteristics: Dominant midvein, then arcuate to            reticulate; no distinct petiole.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Appearance.—Solitary, terminal, and axillary.        -   Form.—Single daisy; actinomorphic.        -   Orientation.—Upright if terminal. Outward if axillary.        -   Longevity.—5-6 days.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Quantity.—About 8 open flowers and 20 visible buds on main            stem. 3-5 flowers and 8 buds on lateral stems.        -   Size:.—Total diameter: 7.5 cm. Depth: About 2.0 cm. Diameter            of disc: 1.3 cm. Receptacle diameter: 2.0 cm. Receptacle            height: 1.1 cm.-   Buds Oust before anthesis):    -   -   Height.—2.4 cm.        -   Diameter.—1.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovoid.        -   Color.—Greyer than 79D.-   Ray florets:    -   -   Quantity per flower.—23.        -   Shape.—Ligulate.        -   Length.—3.9 cm.        -   Width.—0.9 cm.        -   Apex.—Nearly round and minutely tridentate.        -   Base.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Aspect.—Not completely flat, about 75 degrees from vertical.        -   Color:.—When opening: Upper surface, 88C. Lower surface,            88D, with narrow stripes of 88A, and tips overlaid with            144B. Mature: Upper surface: Alternating stripes of 78A and            78B. Lower surface: Ground color is greyer than 77A, with            thin stripes of 79A.        -   Disc florets.—Quantity per flower: Approximately 90. Shape:            Tubular. Apex: Acute, 5 points. Base: Fused into short tube.            Length: 0.9 cm Width: 0.2 cm at apex. 0.1 cm at base.        -   Color.—Immature, 79A. Mature, 79D.-   Involucral bracts:    -   -   Quantity per flower.—18.        -   Length.—1.2 cm.        -   Width.—0.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Color.—Upper surface, 144B. Lower surface, 144A.-   Peduncles:    -   -   Strength.—        -   Aspect.—Upright to angle of 30 degrees from vertical.        -   Length.—Terminal peduncle, 9.5 cm. Fourth peduncle, 3.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 0.2 cm.        -   Texture.—Minutely pubescent.        -   Color.—144B.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Androecium.—Stamens in disc florets.        -   Stamen number.—5.        -   Anther shape and length.—Oblong; 0.25 cm.        -   Anther color.—21B.        -   Gynoecium.—Ray florets        -   Pistil length.—0.6 cm.        -   Stigma shape.—Bipartite.        -   Stigma color.—79B.        -   Style length.—0.4 cm.        -   Style color.—83D.        -   Seed/fruit.—None observed.-   Other inflorescence characteristics: Inflorescences close at night.    Immature discs are dark violet but mature to a lighter, greyed    violet. When bright orange pollen is shed, discs develop a    bull's-eye ring. Sunny Davina is very floriferous with excellent    branching.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of osteospermum plant named sunny davina,as illustrated and described.